Utility frame



Oct- 2, 1 1 E. B. CHANSLOR ET AL 2,569,555

UTILITY FRAME Filed June 10, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 [ma /v5. (HA/v54 0 4,

#44 Lew/v54 0A,

Arroezvsn Patented Oct. 2, 1951 UTILITY FRAME Eileen B. Chanslor and HalChanslor, Los Angeles, Calif.

Application June 10, 1946, Serial No. 675,528

7 Claims.

The present invention relates to supporting means in general andparticularly to a new and novel frame constructed and designed as to becapable of performing a plurality of desirable and necessary functions.More specifically the invention comprises a demountable frameconstructed and arranged as to function as a childs crib or as acocktail table.

Children's cribs have formed an inte ral part of the home from the dawnof civilization. The young child requires a special bed in which it canbe placed in comfort and in which it will remain With safety. Theordinary adult size bed is not suitable for the very young child as itprovides no safeguards to prevent the child from rolling off onto thefloor. In the special childs crib, usually made in dimensions only afraction of those of the full size adult bed, sides are provided ofsufficient height to serve as barriers or guards for purpose of safety.

It is the history of the use of childrens cribs however that theygradually pass from the very center of the stage of home life into astate of disuse to find their final abode in some storage closet orattic from which they are recalled only upon the appearance of a newoffspring whereupon the cycle is repeated, being always of substantiallythe same time duration. An economic loss is involved in this type ofusage which is greater or lesser in degree and in proportion to thenumber of children in the family. Being primarily designed for a singlepurpose, the crib becomes non-utilitarian after it has served thatfunction and remains usually only as a reminder of the past.

With an appreciation of the normal life history of childrens cribs, andwith a full awareness of their vital function in the family life, thepresent invention has been made and provides a construction whichembodies all of the functional usefulness and capabilities of the childscrib and in addition thereto other functions and abilities whichentirely change the history of its usefulness. According to the presentinvention, a utilitarian frame is provided which is so constructed andarranged as to form the supporting structure of a childs crib whenneeded for that purpose. Being constructed of a multiplicity ofinterrelated and interfitting parts, it is adapted to be disassembledreadily and with a minimum of physical labor and converted into autility table particularly suitable for beverages and foods, a table ofthe type commonly referred to as a cocktail table. When not needed as acrib, it stands ready to perform this second function and accordingly iscontinuously useful throughout its entire life instead of being usefulonly intermittently.

With the foregoing in mind it is an object of the present invention toprovide a utilitarian frame suitable as the supporting framework of achilds crib and also as the supporting frame of a cocktail table. It isa further object of the invention to provide a frame for a childs cribformed of a plurality of interfitting parts which are readily assembledand disassembled. It is still a further object of the inventiontoprovide a childs crib which is convertible into a cocktail table, andvice versa.

These and other more specific objects will appear upon reading thefollowing specification and claims and upon considering in connectiontherewith the attached drawings to which they relate.

Referring now to the drawings, in which a preferred embodiment of theinvention is illustrated:

Figure l is a view in perspective of a childs crib constructed inaccordance with the present invention;

Figure 2 is a transverse vertical section through the crib shown inFigure 1;

Figure 3 is a vertical longitudinal section through the frameworkcomprising the present invention;

Figure 4 is a bracket element by which the framework is secured to anadult bed;

Figure 5 is a longitudinal section through one of the joints, beingtaken upon the line 55 of Figure 1;

Figure 6 is a perspective view of the present invention converted into acocktail table;

Figure '7 is a transverse section upon the line 'i'! of Figure 6;

Figure 8 is a partial side view looking in the direction of the arrowsupon the line 8-8 of Figure 7.

Referring again to the drawings and to Figures 1 to 5, inclusive, theframe constructed in accordance with the present invention is disclosedembodied in a childs crib. The frame proper is seen to comprise fourmain U-shaped body members ll, 12, I3 and M which are preferablymetallic, tubular and exteriorly finished as to provide a pleasingappearance. Members H and E2 are the side floor-contacting members andeach includes an elongated horizontal extension I la. which rests uponthe floor and from the ends of which extend upright sections or legs Ilb connected thereto by gently curved corners llc. Side member I2 is aduplicate of member II in each detail. The

upper ends of the vertical portions IIb and I2!) are slightly enlargedto form irregularly sectioned, preferably hexagonal, receptacles orsockets lid and H11.

Spaced lower body members I I and I2 are seen to be parallel and to havetheir vertical elements IIb and IE1) connected by the upper body framemembers I3 and I4, which, in a manner similar to members II and I2, areprovided with horizontal and vertical portions I3a, I la, and I31), Mb,respectively. The lower extremities of the vertical legs I31) and Mb ofmembers I3 and I4 are enlarged and given an irregular section to formsockets I3d and Md, respectively, and into each is fixed, as by beingpressed or welded, a similarly sectioned projecting pin IS the lower endI6a of which is cylindrical and of a size to fit snugly in the verticallegs of the lower U-shaped frame member positioned thereunder and intowhich it extends for some distance.

A pair of vertically spaced straight tubular side members I? and I8extend upon opposite sides of the frame between the vertical legs of theU-shaped frame members. These side members are flattened at their ends,in the manner shown at I'Ia in Figure 5, so as to extend through a slotformed in each vertical leg of the principal frame members. This slot isindicated at I I6 in Figure 5 for frames member I I and is exemplary.The height of flattened portion I'Ia is such as to enable it to beinserted through the slot I Ie so that a notch IIb on its underside canseat the leg wall to effectively lock member I'I against lateraldisplacement in the absence of a vertical displacing force. Each of thelower side members II also performs a joint locking function and in thefollowing manner. The lower cylindrical end IBa of each joint pin I6extends below slot He and is itself provided with a transverse channelor slot I61) into which the flattened portion IIa extends. The pincannot be displaced vertically until the side member II has beendisplaced and this provides an interlockin relationship which preventstheupper and lower main frame members being The upper tubular sideelements I8 are also provided with flattened ends Iiia and extendthrough e slots in members I3 and I4 at its opposite ends. They connectbetween the downwardly-extending legs of upper main frame members E3 andI4 in the identical manner that members I? connect the upwardlyextending legs of lower main frame members II and I2. The onlydifference lies in the fact that members I8 perform no joint lockingfunction as do members I'I. Members I8 are also of such length that withthe members I? in place, the notches I8b seat tightly in the mannerpreviously described in connection with the notches Ill). The members I!and I8 upon the opposite sides of the frame are positioned above andbelow the joints, and

are separated vertically by a distance which is suitable for the depthof the bed portion of a childs crib or bassinet.

The framework proper also includes horizontally extending tubular endmembers I9 provided,

in the manner of members I I and I8, with flattened end portions I9a andwhich seat in the opposed and parallel vertical leg portions of thelower frame members II and I2 in the manner previously discussed inconnection with the side horizontal elements I! and I8. Members I9 arepositioned vertically substantially midway between members I1 and thesupporting surface and complement horizontal portions I3a and Ida 0f thetop main frame members in giving transverse rigidity to the frame.

The frame which has now been described is adapted for use as an integralpart of a childs crib or as the supporting base or framework of acocktail table. Its use as a crib or bassinet is illustrated in Figures1 and 2, in which the frame assembled as described carries an opentopped fiat sided and fiat bottomed box-like receptacle 2|. The sidewalls of this receptacle are indicated by the reference character 22,the end walls by the reference character 23, and the bottom by thecharacter 24. Open hems or sleeves 26 extend along the upper and loweredges of side walls 22 and seat the horizontal side elements I! and I8.In assembling, elements I1 and I8 are inserted through the sleeves 26prior to being con- "nected' into the framework and when finallyincorporated therein are so positioned as to draw taut the sides, endsand bottom walls of the receptacle in the manner shown in Figures 1 and2. The receptacle 2I may be made of any suitable material, a strongcloth such as canvas being suitable, or even of sheet metal if desired.

It is often desirable that the crib be retained in close proximity tothe bed of the parent and to aid in securing it in such a position abracket 28, such as that illustrated in Figure l, is pro Vided. Bracket28 includes a lower split cylindrical portion 29 and an upward extension3i turned over at its end to form a hool-z The bracket is adapted to bepositioned, as shown in Figure 1, upon one of the vertical legs, as forexample I21), and immediately below the transverse end member I9. Whenso positioned the upper hooked end 32 is adapted to extend over the siderail of the bed where it functions to fix the position of the bed andthe crib.

The frame constructed, as stated, is also adapted for use as thesup-porting structure of a combination food and drink or cocktail table.When so used, the receptacle 2i is entirely omitted and between thehorizontal side menber I1 and I8 are positioned a plurality of trays 33,each of which comprises a flat base 3 at the ends-of which arepositioned handle elements 36, including spaced bolts 3's so positionedas to extend immediately outside and adjacent to the supporting elementsII or IS. The lower end of each bolt 31' carries an abutment ring 35'which is preferably of a non-abrasive material such as rubber and whichis so positioned as to contact the side of its supporting element I? orI8 to eliminate entirely all danger of accidental transversedisplacement. In a preferred arrangement three trays 33 are supportedupon the upper side members I1 and an additional three trays upon thelower members I8. At a still lower level and between the end members I9,a single elongated tray II is mounted. Element 4| may well be made of asingle piece of metal or plastic, of a length as to fit between theelements I9, and of a width slightly less than the width of the frameproper. Its base 42 is formed with slightly hooked ends or handles 43which rest upon elements 19 to provide a secure support.

When supporting the trays 33 and 4| as illustrated in Figure 6, 7 and 8,the construction is an acceptable article of household furnitureperforming a desirable function. When functioning as a childs crib, asshown in Figures 1, 2 and 3, it is as suitable as constructions havingno other capabilities. Being formed of a plurality of interengagingparts it is readily assembled and disassembled and without the use oftools. The crib receptacle is easily removed and replaced by a freshreceptacle, a feature of importance particularly when the unit is usedas standard hotel equipment. The entire frame may be made of a polishedmetal, coated, sprayed, painted or varnished as desired, and thecoopcrating and removable trays may be artistically designed and coloredto present a most pleasing appearance.

While the particular apparatus herein shown and described in detail isfully capable of attaining the objects and providing the advantageshereinbefore stated, it is to be understood that it is merelyillustrative of the presently preferred embodiment of the invention andthat no limitations are intended to the details of construction ordesign herein shown other than as defined in the appended claims.

We claim:

1. A utility frame comprising spaced parallel upwardly opening U-shapedmain frame members each formed with a surface contacting portion andwith upwardly extending legs, spaced parallel downwardly openingU-shaped main frame members extended between said upwardly openingu-shaped members and formed with downwardly extending legs, break jointsremovably connecting the legs of said upper and lower frame members, anda pair of vertically spaced side members lying in the plane of each ofsaid upwardl opening U-shaped members, one connecting the upwardlyextending legs of each of said upwardly opening U-shaped members at alevel below said break joints, and the other connecting the downwardlyextending legs of different downwardly opening U-shaped members at alevel above said break joints, and a receptacle positioned between saidupwardly opening U-shaped frame members and provided with supportingmeans along its sides seating on said vertically spaced side members.

2. The structure recited in claim 1, characterized in that each of saidbreak joints comprises a socket formed in one leg and a projecting pincarried by the abutting leg, and in that said pin and socket are slottedand the end of one of said vertically spaced side members extends intosaid slots to prevent unintentional separation of said break joint.

3. The structure recited by claim 1 characterized in that each of saidbreak joints comprises a socket formed in one leg and a projecting pincarried by the abutting leg, and in that said pin and socket are slottedand the end of one of said vertically spaced side members extends intosaid slots to prevent unintentional separation of said abutting legsfrom each other, and further in that said end of said side member has anotch in the bottom side thereof engaging the bottom end of the slot insaid socket, so as to prevent unintentional separation of said sidemember from the abutting leg.

4. The structure recited by claim 1, charac terized in that saidreceptacle includes side walls, each of which is attached at its top andbottom edges to the upper and lower side members, respectively, wherebysaid side members are tied together by said receptacle side walls,thereby preventing unintentional separation of said abutting legs fromeach other.

5. The structure recited by claim 1, characterized further in that eachof said break joints comprises a non-circular socket formed in one legand a companionate pin of non-circular cross section projecting from theabutting leg and reoeived in said socket, said pin and socketcoopcrating to prevent relative rotation between said legs at said breakjoint, whereby said U-shaped main frame members are braced againsttwisting with respect to one another.

6. The structure recited in claim 1, characterized further in that saidframe members and said side members are formed of round tubing, and inthat each of said break joints comprises a socket formed in one leg anda projecting-pin carried by the abutting leg and received in saidsocket, said pin and said socket having aligned slots formed therein,and said vertically spaced side members having their ends flattened topass through said aligned slots and being received therein, saidflattened end portions having notches formed in the bottom edges thereofwhich engage over the bottom ends of the slots in said socket, wherebysaid side members are prevented from being withdrawn from said slots,and said pins are prevented by said side members from being withdrawnfrom said sockets.

7. The structure recited in claim 1, characterized furtherin that atleast one of said U- shaped main frame members is constructed of elasticmaterial and is initially formed with the legs in a non-parallelrelationship, said legs being forcibly sprung to a parallel relationshipat the time the frame is assembled, so that said frame members areslightly tensed, thereby eliminating looseness or play in the joints andincreasing rigidity of the structure.

EILEEN B. CHANSLOR. HAL CHANSLOR.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,431 Rodefer Dec. 18, 18391,946,711 Quisen'berry Feb. 13, 1934 1,957,656 Langenkamp May 8, 19342,238,226 Lindgren Apr. 15, 1941 2,280,913 Hummel et al. Apr. 28, 19422,369,885 Debrenen Feb. 20, 1945 2,390,878 Greitzer Dec. 11, 1945FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 121,224 Austria Sept. 15, 1930

